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Crystal growth and crystallographySelected topics that may be of interest for both crystal-structure and crystal-growth communities are overviewed. The growth of protein crystals, along with that of some other compounds, is one of the topics, and recent insights into related phenomena are considered as examples of applications of general principles. The relationship between crystal growth shape and structure is reviewed and an attempt to introduce semiquantitative characterization of binding for proteins is made. The concept of kinks for complex structures is briefly discussed. Even at sufficiently low supersaturations, the fluctuation of steps may not be sufficient to implement the Gibbs-Thomson law if the kink density is low enough. Subsurface ordering of liquids and growth of rough interfaces from melts is discussed. Crystals growing in microgravity from solution should be more perfect if they preferentially trap stress-inducing impurities, thus creating an impurity-depleted zone around themselves. Evidently, such a zone is developed only around the crystals growing in the absence of convection. Under terrestrial conditions, the self-purified depleted zone is destroyed by convection, the crystal traps more impurity and grows stressed. The stress relief causes mosaicity. In systems containing stress-inducing but poorly trapped impurities, the crystals grown in the absence of convection should be worse than those of their terrestrial counterparts.
Document ID
20040142135
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Chernov, A. A.
(Universities Space Research Association (USRA) Huntsville, AL 35805, United States)
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations of crystallography
Volume: 54
Issue: Pt 6 Pt 1
ISSN: 0108-7673
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Review, Tutorial
Review

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